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cases referred for home nursing fell from 4,747 to 3,763
and then to 3,595. Despite this fall in cases, the total
visits in each of the three years has remained almost
identical, 87,076, 87.159 and 87,613.
A reason for this decline in the number of new cases
is easy to find. There has been a very great reduction in
the number of cases to which a nurse is called to give
injections of penicillin. This is clearly shown by the
following figures.-
1953 1954 1955
Penicillin Cases 2,529 1,724 1.528
All other Cases 2,218 2,041 2,067
Whether the reduction in the number of cases for which
penicillin is prescribed is due to there having been a
lessened incidence of the conditions concerned, or whether
it is due to medical practitioners adopting new forms of
treatment which do not require the attendance of a nurse,
is not known. The statistics can only show the work which
is performed. It is known, however, that it is now possible
to give penicillin orally. Whether there will be a wide
spread use of penicillin given orally cannot be foreseen.
A complete change over from injections to oral administra
tion of penicillin might reduce by 50% the cases referred
to the nurses, but there would not be a corresponding
reduction in their work. In Table C are given details of
the total visits made to give the various forms of treat
ment. It shows that the total visits to give penicillin
injections amounted to only 9,950 or 11 4 per cent, of
all visits. In addition these visits are among those
taking up the least amount of time per visit.
Table Bgives the sex, age grouping and form of treatment
given to the 3,595 new cases in 1955. Table C gives
for each of the three years 1953 to 1955 the numbers of
new cases of the various conditions treated and the various
forms of treatment provided. In addition, Table C gives
details of the cases remaining on the register at the end
of 1955 which provides a general picture of the numbers
of the various conditions under treatment at any particular
time, and finally shows the total visits made during that
year.
Table C reveals great reductions in the numbers of
cases coming under certain headings, examples being as
fol lows: -